Car-coupling.



No. 774,236. PATENTED NOV. 8, 1904.

I G. DIETZ.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLIO'ATION TILED NOV. 7, 1903.

N0 MODEL. ZSHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 774,236. PATENTED NOV. 8, 19 4.

0. DIElfZ. GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

Patented November 8, 1904;

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES DIETZ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,236, dated November 8, 1904, Application filed November 7, 1908. Serial No. 180,146. No modelJ To all ll/700712 it may concern:

Be itknown that I, CHARLEs DIETZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to that class of carcouplers known as the twin-jaw coupler of the Master Car-Builderstype,and particularly to the construction and arrangement thereof by-which the coupling parts are locked and released, all of which will more fully hereinafter appear.

The principal object of the invention is to provide asimple, economical, and efficient carcoupler.

A further object of the invention is to provide a twin-jaw coupler with looking mechanism and means for operating the same.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from an examination of the drawings and the following description and claims.

The invention consists principally in a twinjaw coupler of the Master Car-Builders type, in which there are combined a coupler-head, a knuckle pivotally mounted therein, a vertically-movable locking-pin mounted in the coupler-head, and a rock-shaft for moving the locking-pin to and holding it in its released position.

The invention consists, further and finally, in the features, combinations, and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of a freight-car, showing my improvements as they appear when attached thereto; Fig. 2, a sectional plan view of a twin-jaw coupler as it appears when constructed in accordance with these improvements and showing the knuckle in its open position; Fig. 3, a similar view to that shown in Fig. 2 with the parts in locked position; Fig. 4, a perspective view of one portion of the rock-shaft with its eccentric, and Fig. 5 a perspective view of the locking-pin.

In constructing a car-coupler in accordance with these improvements I provide the usual draw-bar a, which is mounted in position on a freight-car b in any well-known or usual manner. This draw-bar is provided with a coupler-head 0, in which is pivotally mounted a knuckle portion d. The coupler and knuckle portion are made of the twin jaw type-a type which is well known and has been adopted by the Master Car-Builders Association.

An examination of Figs. 2 and 3 will show that the coupler-knuckle is not only pivotally mounted, but has an L-shaped tail portion a, the angular portion of which is passed through a perforation fin the side wall of the couplerhead. The arrangement is such that should the usual pivot-pin g become broken the knuckle cannot be pulled out, as the L-shaped portion will engage the block or lug IL on the coupler-head and prevent its withdrawal, while at the. same time assisting in pulling the train along.

To provide for the locking and unlocking of the knuckle portion, a locking-pint is provided and mounted in the coupler-head so as to have bearings in the upper and lower walls thereof. WVhen the locking-pin is in its lowest or looking position, the tail of the knuckle abuts against the body portion of such locking-pin; but when such pin is raised, the knuckle may pass under the shoulder 2', while the lower portion 6 will remain in its bearings in the lower wall of the coupler-head. To operate this locking-pin at the desired time or times, a rock-shaft is provided, one portion, is, of which is rotatably mounted in lugs Z on the upper portion of the couplerhead. This part of the rock-shaft is provided with an eccentric portion it", that is passed through a perforation 2' in the head of the locking-pin. Itwill be seen, therefore, that as this rock-shaft is rotated in one direction to the position shown in full lines in Fig. l the eccentric portion will raise the lockingpin to and hold it in its released position, so that the coupling-knuckle may be swung to open position, as shown in Fig.2.

For purposes of safety and to prevent the unlocking operation or destruction of the parts during a forward withdrawal of the draw-bar to an unusual extent the rock-shaft is provided with an extension Z9 pivotally secured to the other or main portion by means of a universal joint m. The outer end of this extension of the rock-shaft is provided with an operating-lever p, having a weight g at its extreme end. This arrangement is such that when the knuckle is in its open position and a coupling engagement with another car desired the release or locking effect of the rock-shaft will take place as soonas the coupler-knuckle is closed and a slight jar or shock administered to the draw-bar or car, all of which tends to disturb the weighted operating-lever, so that it will drop to the position shown in dotted outline in Fig. 1-that is, to a position in which the locking-pin is permitted to resume its locking position after the coupling-knuckle is closed, as shown in Fig. 3.

From the foregoingdescription of construction and operation it will be seen that the principal advantages incident to a car-cou 'fler constructed in accordance with these improvements is that the accidental unlocking of the parts is prevented in that the two-part rockshaft that operates the locking-pin is partially mounted on the coupler-head partially in the body of the car, thereby dispensing with the usual chain mechanism, while the universal joint thereof permits the withdrawal of the draw-bar to a limited extent without any unlocking action taking place or destruction of any of the parts.

I claim 1. In a car-coupler of the class described, the combination of a coupler-head, a knuckle pivotally mounted therein, a vertically-movable locking-pin mounted in the couplinghead. and provided with a perforated portion, a rock-shaft engaging the perforated portion of the locking-pin and made in two parts pivotally secured together for movingsuch locking-pin to and holding it in its released position, and a weighted operating'lever on such rock-shaft, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupler of the class described, the combination of a coupler-head, a knuckle pivotally mounted therein, a vertically-movable locking-pin mounted in the couplinghead and provided with a perforated portion,

a rock-shaft engaging the perforated portion. of the locking-pin and made in two parts pivotally secured together and mounted partially on the coupler-head and partially on the carbody for moving such locking-pin to and holding it in its released position, and a weighted operating-lever on such rock-shaft, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupler of the class described, the combination of a coupler-head, a knuckle pivotally mounted therein, a vertically-movable locking-pin mounted in the coupler-head and engaging the rear portion of the knuckle so as to hold it in its locked position, a perforated head portion on such locking-pin, a rock-shaft made in two portions pivotally secured together, the inner portion rotatably mounted in hearings on the coupler-head and provided with an eccentric portion engaging the perforated head on the locking-pin, and the other portion of such rock-shaft rotatably mounted in hearings on the car-body and provided with a weighted operating-lever at its outer end, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupler of the class described, the combination of a coupler-head provided with an opening in its side wall, a knuckle pivotally mounted therein and provided with an L-shaped tail portion extending through the side opening in the coupler-head, a ver tically-movable locking-pin mounted in the coupler-head engaging the tail portion of the knuckle to hold it in its locked position and provided with a perforated head portion, a two-part rock-shaft rotatably mounted on the coupling-head, one part of which is provided with an eccentric portion engaging the perfor-ated head of the locking-pin for moving the same to and holding it in its released position, the other part of such rock-shaft being rotatably mounted on the car-frame, a universal joint forming the connection between the two parts of the rock-shaft, and a Weighted lever secured to the outer end of the rock-shaft for operating the same, substantially as described.

CHARLES DIETZ.

WVitnesses:

THOMAS F. SHERIDAN, ANNIE C. GOURTENAY. 

